Browse publications by year: 2018

  1. Fulltext Molecular identification of blast resistance and pathogenesis-related genes in various traditional paddy varieties from different divisions of Sabah, East Malaysia
    Goh, L.P.W., Chong, E.T.J., Wong, J.J., Abdul Aziz, Z., Surugau, N., Abd. Latip, M., et al.
    International Food Research Journal, 2018;25(2):626-631.
    MyJurnal
    Paddy is the staple food of local people in Sabah, but its production is affected by a disturbing disease known as blast, which is caused by fungi (i.e., Magnaporthe grisea and Magnaporthe oryzae) infection. Knowledge regarding distribution of blast-resistant (BR) genes among various Sabah traditional paddy varieties in different divisions of Sabah is not clear; hence, molecular identification of BR genes in Sabah traditional paddies is urgently needed. In this study, genomic DNA was extracted from 21 different Sabah traditional paddy varieties collected from three divisions of Sabah including the West Coast Division (WCD), Sandakan Division (SD), and Interior Division (ID). The presence of 11 BR and 2 pathogenesis-related (PR) genes in their genome was molecularly screened using a PCR approach and validated using direct sequencing. Our results showed that high frequencies of Pib (95.2%), pi-ta (100.0%), and RCC2 (100.0%) genes were obtained in all 21 Sabah traditional paddy varieties screened. Interestingly, one of the paddy varieties from ID of Sabah, PBT23, did not contain the Pib gene but carried the Pita/Pita-2 allele in its genome. Besides, only three paddies (PBT08 and PBT07 from WCD, and PBT23) exhibited the Pik-p gene, and no varieties were found to carry the Pik, Pik-m, Pit, Piz, Piz-t, Pi-ta, Pi9, and wwin2 genes. In conclusion, this study serves as the basis for improvement and effectual management of traditional paddies in different divisions of Sabah towards blast resistance with knowledge of BR or PR genes inherited in their genome.
  2. Fulltext Identification of Klebsiella Pneumoniae in microwavable chicken curries using 16s rRNA analysis
    Wong, C.Y., Rao, P.V., Soon, J.M.
    International Food Research Journal, 2018;25(2):620-625.
    MyJurnal
    Microwave heating technology is widely used in food catering and domestic households. Nonuniformity of microwave temperature distribution causes the formation of hot and cold spots in heated product has led to the survival of foodborne pathogens which may later cause food borne diseases. It is the aim of this study to determine the effect of different microwave heating on the microbiological quality of microwavable frozen chicken curries. Nine commercialised frozen chicken curries were thawed overnight in the chiller (< 4°C) and exposed to different microwave power levels and times (270 W at 60 s; 950 W at 150 s and 300 s). 25 g of chicken curry were homogenised, serial diluted and enumerated aseptically. Total Aerobic Count (TAC), Total Coliform Count (TCC), Escherichia coli count and Salmonella count were carried out and no microorganisms were detected. Enterobacteriaceae were found in the food samples after enrichment process. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification and 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) sequencing were carried out. Results of 16S rRNA sequence analysis indicated that two gram-negative isolates after enrichment were identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae.
  3. Fulltext In vitro antibacterial activity of crude medicinal plant extracts against ampicillin+penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
    Tan, W.T., Samsudin, N.I.P., Lee, H.Y., Chern, P.E., Ng, C.T., Panneerselvam, L., et al.
    International Food Research Journal, 2018;25(2):573-579.
    MyJurnal
    Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause for foodborne diseases. Extensive use of antibiotics has led to emergence of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus. Hence, interest on natural plant-based alternative which limits the use of synthetic chemicals is growing. The present work evaluated the antibacterial capacity of garlic, aloe vera, galangal, pineapple peel, neem, papaya leaf, lemongrass, peppermint, nutmeg and clove separately extracted with hexane, ethanol and water to a final concentration of 10% w/v against ampicillin+penicillin-resistant isolates of S. aureus in vitro. Streptomycin was used as a drug control against the resistant isolates; BRS023, BRS068 and DRS072. According to the interpretive standards for inhibition zone diameter provided by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, isolates BRS068 and DRS072 were considered resistant (≤ 12 mm), and isolate BRS023 was considered intermediate (13-14 mm). Against these isolates, all crude plant extracts exhibited varying degrees of inhibition. However, a coherent trend was observed in the inhibition between resistant and intermediate isolates regardless of plants and solvents used. It was also found that extraction solvent types impacted the resulting antibacterial activity. In terms of positive inhibition, the solvents were ranked in the order of hexane (77%) > water (73%) > ethanol (57%). 10% hexane extract of galangal gave the overall highest inhibition zones (17.8 ± 1.4 mm) closely followed by 10% ethanol extract of nutmeg (16.3 ± 1.1 mm). Further phytochemical analyses of the antibacterial compounds from galangal and nutmeg, and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) are needed. Potential applications of plant-based antibacterial compounds as natural, costeffective and less-toxic food preservatives against drug-resistant foodborne pathogens should be explored.
  4. Fulltext Epstein–barr virus infection in B-cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas of the oral and maxillofacial region: is there any evidence?
    Laila Mustafa Abdelrahim, Kallarakkal, Thomas George, Peh, Suat-cheng
    Malaysian Journal of Pathology, 2018;40(1):49-56.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) might be an aetiological agent involved in the pathogenesis of certain Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas (NHLs). EBV infection has been diagnosed by serologic testing within the tumour biopsies of patients with NHL. However, the association between EBV and NHL is inconsistent with a preference for certain anatomic sites, histologic subtypes and immunosuppressed patients. The objective of this study was to characterise the B-cell NHLs of the oral cavity and maxillofacial region using histological and immunophenotypical techniques and to determine its association with EBV infection. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive crosssectional study that included 14 cases of B-cell NHLs of the oral cavity and maxillofacial region. The haematopoietic and lymphoid tissue tumours classification of WHO was used to categorize the cases. In-situ hybridisation for EBV–encoded RNA was performed to confirm the EBV infection. Results: The average age of the patients included in the study was found to be 48.8 ± 23 years with a higher female to male ratio (1.3:1). Our study suggested that diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) and Burkitt’s lymphomas (BLs) constitute the predominant subtypes of lymphomas affecting the oral cavity and maxillofacial regions. Conclusion: The findings from our study support the view that at least a relatively smaller proportion of B-cell NHLs that occur in the oral cavity and maxillofacial region do not have a pathogenic association with EBV.
  5. Should psychosocial safety climate theory be extended to include climate strength?
    Afsharian A, Zadow A, Dollard MF, Dormann C, Ziaian T
    J Occup Health Psychol, 2018 Oct;23(4):496-507.
    PMID: 28857596 DOI: 10.1037/ocp0000101
    Psychosocial safety climate (PSC; climate for psychological health) is an organizational antecedent to work conditions articulated in the job demands-resources model. We responded to calls for broader consideration of organizational climate in terms of both climate level and strength. We tested PSC level and strength as main and interactive predictors of work conditions, psychological health, and engagement. Using multilevel analysis and cross-sectional data, the effects of unit-level PSC constructs were investigated in 21 hospital work units (n = 249 employees) in Australia. The correlation between PSC levels (measured at the unit mean) and PSC strength (measured as unit -1 × SD) was moderate and positive, suggesting that ceiling effects of PSC scores were not problematic. PSC level was a better predictor than PSC strength or their interactions for job demands (psychological and emotional demands), job resources (e.g., skill discretion and organizational support), and health (emotional exhaustion). For engagement, the interaction was significant-improving engagement, therefore, benefits from high levels of PSC and PSC strength within the work units. So, in answer to the research question regarding PSC theory extension, "it depends on the outcome." Research limitations are acknowledged, and the potential of the PSC model to guide the reduction of workplace psychosocial risk factors and the negative consequences is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
    MeSH terms: Cross-Sectional Studies; Employment/psychology*; Humans; Personnel, Hospital/psychology*; Organizational Culture*; Occupational Health*; Self Report
  6. Green Communication for Wireless Body Area Networks: Energy Aware Link Efficient Routing Approach
    Anwar M, Abdullah AH, Altameem A, Qureshi KN, Masud F, Faheem M, et al.
    Sensors (Basel), 2018 Sep 26;18(10).
    PMID: 30261628 DOI: 10.3390/s18103237
    Recent technological advancement in wireless communication has led to the invention of wireless body area networks (WBANs), a cutting-edge technology in healthcare applications. WBANs interconnect with intelligent and miniaturized biomedical sensor nodes placed on human body to an unattended monitoring of physiological parameters of the patient. These sensors are equipped with limited resources in terms of computation, storage, and battery power. The data communication in WBANs is a resource hungry process, especially in terms of energy. One of the most significant challenges in this network is to design energy efficient next-hop node selection framework. Therefore, this paper presents a green communication framework focusing on an energy aware link efficient routing approach for WBANs (ELR-W). Firstly, a link efficiency-oriented network model is presented considering beaconing information and network initialization process. Secondly, a path cost calculation model is derived focusing on energy aware link efficiency. A complete operational framework ELR-W is developed considering energy aware next-hop link selection by utilizing the network and path cost model. The comparative performance evaluation attests the energy-oriented benefit of the proposed framework as compared to the state-of-the-art techniques. It reveals a significant enhancement in body area networking in terms of various energy-oriented metrics under medical environments.
    MeSH terms: Health Resources; Humans; Technology; Human Body; Benchmarking; Wireless Technology; Inventions
  7. Fulltext A Surfactant Directed Microcrystalline Cellulose/Polyaniline Composite with Enhanced Electrochemical Properties
    Abdi MM, Md Tahir P, Liyana R, Javahershenas R
    Molecules, 2018 Sep 26;23(10).
    PMID: 30261640 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23102470
    In this study a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), was used as a soft template for in situ chemical polymerization of aniline on the surface of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). The morphology of the wire-like and porous nanostructure of the resulting composite was highly dependent on the MCC and CTAB concentrations. The effect of the MCC and CTAB concentrations on the electrochemical and morphological properties of the polyaniline (PAni) nanocomposite was studied. Cyclic voltammograms of modified PAni/MCC/CTAB electrode displayed a high current response and the effect of scan rate on the current response confirmed a diffusion controlled process on the surface of the electrode that makes it suitable for sensor applications. The overlapping characteristic peaks of pure PAni and MCC caused peak broadening at 3263 cm-1 in the IR spectra of PAni/MCC/CTAB nanocomposite that revealed the interaction between NH of PAni and OH group of MCC via electrostatic interactions. The addition of MCC to PAni through chemical polymerization decreased the thermal stability of composite compared to pure PAni. Lower crystallinity was observed in the XRD diffractogram, with 2 theta values of 22.8, 16.5, and 34.6 for PAni/MCC, confirming the formation of PAni on the MCC surface.
    MeSH terms: Aniline Compounds/chemistry*; Cellulose/chemistry*; Surface Properties; Surface-Active Agents/chemistry*; Porosity; Nanocomposites/chemistry*; Electrochemical Techniques; Polymerization
  8. Fulltext Correction to: Standardized extract of Ficus deltoidea stimulates insulin secretion and blocks hepatic glucose production by regulating the expression of glucose-metabolic genes in streptozitocin-induced diabetic rats
    Farsi E, Ahmad M, Hor SY, Khadeer Ahamed MB, Yam MF, Khoo BY, et al.
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2018 09 27;18(1):262.
    PMID: 30261874 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-018-2333-3
    After the publication of this article [1] it came to our attention that one author, Boon Yin Khoo, was erroneously omitted from the authorship list.
    MeSH terms: Attention; Authorship; Publications; Publishing
  9. A bizarre case of accessory larynx in an infant with OEIS syndrome
    Wong TL, Baki MM, Ishak S, See GB
    Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol, 2018 Nov;114:134-137.
    PMID: 30262351 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.08.037
    We report a bizarre case of accessory larynx in an infant with OEIS syndrome (omphalocele, cloacal exstrophy, imperforated anus & spinal defects). This is the first reported case in literature of a duplicate accessory larynx which is a mirror image of the true larynx. A congenital duplication of the larynx is a rare anomaly and can present in various forms. In this case, the infant presented with recurrent lung infection and inability to wean off oxygen. Scope revealed severe laryngomalacia in addition to the accessory larynx. Hence, supraglottoplasty was done with aim to resolve the lung and airway problem.
    MeSH terms: Abnormalities, Multiple; Anus, Imperforate/complications*; Female; Hernia, Umbilical/complications*; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Laryngeal Diseases/complications; Laryngeal Diseases/diagnosis*; Laryngeal Diseases/surgery; Laryngoscopy/methods; Larynx/abnormalities*; Larynx/surgery; Respiratory Sounds/etiology; Scoliosis/complications*; Urogenital Abnormalities/complications*
  10. Fulltext Fetishism in ADHD: an impulsive behaviour or a paraphilic disorder?
    Masiran R
    BMJ Case Rep, 2018 Sep 27;2018.
    PMID: 30262539 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2018-226212
    A boy with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) presented with a fetish for and the subsequent stealing of female undergarments. He was predominantly inattentive and had been a slow learner. Psychological tests showed that he had significant cognitive and inattention problems without significant hyperactivity, and was at risk of dyslexia as well as conduct disorder.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/complications*; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/psychology; Fetishism (Psychiatric)/complications*; Humans; Impulsive Behavior*; Male
  11. Characterization and expression of Xiphophorus maculatus microsatellite Msb069 full sequence in subgenus Poecilia
    Poh KB, Roslan ZM, Misnan R, Sinang SC
    J Genet, 2018 Sep;97(4):817-824.
    PMID: 30262693
    Msb069 primer pairs encompassed region is believed to be associated with a quantitative trait loci (QTL) of dorsal fin length in subgenus Poecilia. However, detailed investigation on Msb069 which originated from Xiphophorus on subgenus Poecilia remains unexplored. In this study, full sequence of Msb069 was characterized by sequencing bioinformatics analysis and gene expression. The sequence analysis of Msb069 primer pairs encompassed region on three species of Poecilia revealed higher number of microsatellite tandem repeats in Poecilia latipinna (ATG
    16
    ) compared to P. sphenops (ATG
    13-14
    ). There is no notable pattern of ATGtandem repeats discovered in the hybrids. The full sequence of Msb069 is 734 bp in length and showed a 233 bp conserved region between Xiphophorus and Poecilia. BLAST search performed on this sequence revealed no significant similarities. Nonquantitative RT-PCR exhibited the presence of Msb069 transcripts in three different tissues in subgenus Poecilia. Meanwhile, quantitative RTPCR expression on two different tissues showed relatively higher expression of Msb069 transcript in P. latipinna dorsal fin tissues in both male and female fishes, suggesting a repressive function of this transcript with respect to dorsal fin length. However the exact gene expression event of Msb069 is still unknown and requires further investigation.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Cyprinodontiformes/genetics*; Phylogeny; Poecilia/genetics*; Gene Expression/genetics; Microsatellite Repeats/genetics*; Computational Biology; Quantitative Trait Loci/genetics
  12. Genetic variations in influx transporter gene SLC22A1 are associated with clinical responses to imatinib mesylate among Malaysian chronic myeloid leukaemia patients
    Makhtar SM, Husin A, Baba AA, Ankathil R
    J Genet, 2018 Sep;97(4):835-842.
    PMID: 30262695
    Imatinib mesylate (IM), a well-established gold standard drug in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), is a synthetic tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Despite excellent efficacy, a significant number of patients on IM therapy develop resistance to IM. Currently, great focus has been laid on the effect of interindividual pharmacogenetic variability on IM treatment responses. IM uptake is mediated by the hOCT1 protein encoded by the solute carrier 22 gene (SLC22A1). The current study investigated the impact of few single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of SLC22A1 on mediating resistance and/or good response to IM among 278 Malaysian CML patients (146 IM-resistant group and 132 IM good response group) undergoing IM therapy on 400 mg daily. Our results showed that the allelic frequencies of heterozygous (CG) and homozygous variant (GG) genotypes of SLC22A1 C480G were significantly higher in the IM-resistant group compared with the IM good response group (41.8% versus 30.3% and 10.9% versus 4.5% with P values of 0.047 and 0.048, respectively). On evaluating the association of genotypes with risk of IM resistance development, heterozygous (CG) and homozygous (GG) variant genotypes showed significantly higher risk for developing resistance to IM treatment with odds ratio (OR): 1.901 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.142-3.163, P = 0.013) and 3.324 (95% CI: 1.235-8.947, P = 0.017), respectively. Two SNPs and two insertions/deletions were detected in exon 7 of SLC22A1. For exon 7, 1222AA carriers together with the presence of both the 8-bp insertion and 3-bp deletion, and M420del alleles showed higher possibility of developing resistance towards IMtreatment. Our results warrant the need of genotyping this SNP in terms of modulating IM treatment in CML patients.
    MeSH terms: Imatinib Mesylate; Alleles; Exons; Gene Frequency; Genotype; Humans; Nucleotides; Pharmacogenetics; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive; Confidence Intervals; Odds Ratio; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Pharmacogenomic Testing
  13. Overcoming Limitations of LoRa Physical Layer in Image Transmission
    Jebril AH, Sali A, Ismail A, Rasid MFA
    Sensors (Basel), 2018 Sep 27;18(10).
    PMID: 30262793 DOI: 10.3390/s18103257
    As a possible implementation of a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN), Long Range (LoRa) technology is considered to be the future wireless communication standard for the Internet of Things (IoT) as it offers competitive features, such as a long communication range, low cost, and reduced power consumption, which make it an optimum alternative to the current wireless sensor networks and conventional cellular technologies. However, the limited bandwidth available for physical layer modulation in LoRa makes it unsuitable for high bit rate data transfer from devices like image sensors. In this paper, we propose a new method for mangrove forest monitoring in Malaysia, wherein we transfer image sensor data over the LoRa physical layer (PHY) in a node-to-node network model. In implementing this method, we produce a novel scheme for overcoming the bandwidth limitation of LoRa. With this scheme the images, which requires high data rate to transfer, collected by the sensor are encrypted as hexadecimal data and then split into packets for transfer via the LoRa physical layer (PHY). To assess the quality of images transferred using this scheme, we measured the packet loss rate, peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and structural similarity (SSIM) index of each image. These measurements verify the proposed scheme for image transmission, and support the industrial and academic trend which promotes LoRa as the future solution for IoT infrastructure.
    MeSH terms: Communication; Industry; Malaysia; Technology; Wetlands; Signal-To-Noise Ratio; Social Networking
  14. Fulltext Forage Crop Lolium multiflorum Assisted Synthesis of AgNPs and Their Bioactivities Against Poultry Pathogenic Bacteria in In Vitro
    Lee KD, Kuppusamy P, Kim DH, Govindan N, Maniam GP, Choi KC
    Indian J Microbiol, 2018 Dec;58(4):507-514.
    PMID: 30262961 DOI: 10.1007/s12088-018-0755-8
    Italian ryegrass is one of main feed for livestock animals/birds. It has potential antioxidant metabolites that can improve their health and protect them against various infectious diseases. In this work, we studied synthesis of silver nanoparticles assisted by forage crop Lolium multiflorum as a green synthesis way. Potential antibacterial efficacy of these synthesized nanosized silver nanoparticles against poultry pathogenic bacteria was then studied. Aqueous extract of IRG was used as reducing agent for bio-reduction of silver salt to convert Ag+ to Ag0 metallic nano-silver. Size, shape, metallic composition, functional group, and crystalline nature of these synthesized silver nanoparticles were then characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometer, FESEM, EDX, FT-IT, and XRD, respectively. In addition, antibacterial effects of these synthesized AgNPs against poultry pathogenic bacteria were evaluated by agar well diffusion method. UV-Vis spectra showed strong absorption peak of 440-450 nm with differ reaction time ranging from 30 min to 24 h. FESEM measurements revealed particles sizes of around 20-100 nm, majority of which were spherical in shape while a few were irregular. These biosynthesized silver nanoparticles using IRG extract exhibited strong antibacterial activities against poultry pathogenic microorganisms, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis. Overall results confirmed that IRG plant extract possessed potential bioactive compounds for converting silver ions into nanosized silver at room temperature without needing any external chemical for redox reaction. In addition, such synthesized AgNPs showed strong antibacterial activities against pathogenic bacteria responsible for infectious diseases in poultry.
  15. Fulltext A biomarker feasibility study in the South East Asia Community Observatory health and demographic surveillance system
    Partap U, Young EH, Allotey P, Sandhu MS, Reidpath DD
    Glob Health Epidemiol Genom, 2018;3:e14.
    PMID: 30263138 DOI: 10.1017/gheg.2018.13
    Background: Integration of biomarker data with information on health and lifestyle provides a powerful tool to enhance the scientific value of health research. Existing health and demographic surveillance systems (HDSSs) present an opportunity to create novel biodata resources for this purpose, but data and biological sample collection often presents challenges. We outline some of the challenges in developing these resources and present the outcomes of a biomarker feasibility study embedded within the South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) HDSS.

    Methods: We assessed study-related records to determine the pace of data collection, response from potential participants, and feedback following data and sample collection. Overall and stratified measures of data and sample availability were summarised. Crude prevalence of key risk factors was examined.

    Results: Approximately half (49.5%) of invited individuals consented to participate in this study, for a final sample size of 203 (161 adults and 42 children). Women were more likely to consent to participate compared with men, whereas children, young adults and individuals of Malay ethnicity were less likely to consent compared with older individuals or those of any other ethnicity. At least one biological sample (blood from all participants - finger-prick and venous [for serum, plasma and whole blood samples], hair or urine for adults only) was successfully collected from all participants, with blood test data available from over 90% of individuals. Among adults, urine samples were most commonly collected (97.5%), followed by any blood samples (91.9%) and hair samples (83.2%). Cardiometabolic risk factor burden was high (prevalence of elevated HbA1c among adults: 23.8%; of elevated triglycerides among adults: 38.1%; of elevated total cholesterol among children: 19.5%).

    Conclusions: In this study, we show that it is feasible to create biodata resources using existing HDSS frameworks, and identify a potentially high burden of cardiometabolic risk factors that requires further evaluation in this population.

    MeSH terms: Adult; Child; Cholesterol; Feasibility Studies; Female; Hair; Hematologic Tests; Humans; Informed Consent; Life Style; Malaysia; Male; Plasma; Risk Factors; Specimen Handling; Triglycerides; Hypertriglyceridemia; Biomarkers; Prevalence; Sample Size; Young Adult
  16. Fulltext Enzymatic synthesis of structured lipids with behenic acid at the sn-1, 3 positions of triacylglycerols
    Kok WM, Chuah CH, Cheng SF
    Food Sci Biotechnol, 2018 Apr;27(2):353-366.
    PMID: 30263758 DOI: 10.1007/s10068-017-0271-3
    A long chain saturated fatty acid (SFA), behenic acid, is incorporated into the sn-1, 3 positions of triacylglycerols in palm olein (POo) and high-oleic sunflower oil (HOS) by solvent-free interesterification catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM. The enzymatic interesterified HOS (EIE-HOS) yielded 76.5% of BOO and BOB as compared to 45.6% in POo (EIE-POo). The sn-2 position of EIE-HOS displayed 5.3 mol% of SFA which is significantly lower compared to 13.5 mol% in EIE-POo (P 
  17. Fulltext Evaluation of a Malaysian soy sauce koji strain Aspergillus oryzae NSK for γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) production using different native sugars
    Hajar-Azhari S, Wan-Mohtar WAAQI, Ab Kadir S, Rahim MHA, Saari N
    Food Sci Biotechnol, 2018 Apr;27(2):479-488.
    PMID: 30263772 DOI: 10.1007/s10068-017-0289-6
    In this study, a selected γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-rich Malaysian strain Aspergillus oryzae NSK was collected from soy sauce koji. The strain was used to explore the effect of using renewable native sugar syrup, sugarcane, nipa, and molasses as fermentable substrates for developing a novel functional GABA soy sauce. We evaluated the strain using the chosen native sugars for 7 days using shake flask fermentation at 30 °C. The results showed optimum GABA concentration was achieved using cane molasses as the fermentable substrate (354.08 mg/L), followed by sugarcane syrup (320.7 mg/L) and nipa syrup (232.07 mg/L). Cane molasses was subsequently utilized as a substrate to determine the most suitable concentration for A. oryzae NSK to enhance GABA production and was determined as 50% g/L of glucose standard cane molasses. Our findings indicate that cane molasses can be used as a GABA-rich ingredient to develop a new starter culture for A. oryzae NSK soy sauce production.
    MeSH terms: Aspergillus oryzae; Canes; Carbohydrates; Fermentation; Food; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; Glucose; Molasses; Bioreactors; Saccharum; Soy Foods
  18. Fulltext Development of a novel fermented pumpkin-based beverage inoculated with water kefir grains: a response surface methodology approach
    Koh WY, Utra U, Rosma A, Effarizah ME, Rosli WIW, Park YH
    Food Sci Biotechnol, 2018 Apr;27(2):525-535.
    PMID: 30263777 DOI: 10.1007/s10068-017-0245-5
    Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) is well known for its health and nutritional benefits and is recommended for daily consumption. This is the first report on optimization and development of fermented pumpkin-based water kefir beverage. Optimum pumpkin puree and brown sugar concentrations were found at 22.28 and 9.07% w/v, respectively, were made into a pumpkin-based beverage and fermented with water kefir grains for 24 h at 32 °C. The optimized fermented pumpkin-based water kefir beverage was found to be non-alcoholic, achieved good overall acceptability and high Lactobacillus, acetic acid bacteria and yeast cell viability of approximately 1012, 109 and 109 CFU mL-1, respectively. Overall, the optimized product attained superb technological characteristics and has the potential for industrial exploitation as a refreshing water kefir drink.
  19. Fulltext Separation and identification of bromelain-generated antibacterial peptides from Actinopyga lecanora
    Ghanbari R, Ebrahimpour A
    Food Sci Biotechnol, 2018 Apr;27(2):591-598.
    PMID: 30263784 DOI: 10.1007/s10068-017-0267-z
    Actinopyga lecanora, as a rich protein source was hydrolysed to generate antibacterial bioactive peptides using different proteolytic enzymes. Bromelain hydrolysate, after 1 h hydrolysis, exhibited the highestantibacterial activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas sp., Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Two dimensional fractionation strategies, using a semi-preparative RP-HPLC and an isoelectric-focusing electrophoresis, were applied for peptide profiling. Furthermore, UPLC-QTOF-MS was used for peptides identification; 12 peptide sequences were successfully identified. The antibacterial activity of purified peptides from A. lecanora on P. aeruginosa, Pseudomonas sp., E. coli and S. aureus was investigated. These identified peptides exhibited growth inhibition against P. aeruginosa, Pseudomonas sp., E. coli and S. aureus with values ranging from 18.80 to 75.30%. These results revealed that the A. lecanora would be used as an economical protein source for the production of high value antibacterial bioactive peptides.
    MeSH terms: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bromelains; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Escherichia coli; Hydrolysis; Isoelectric Focusing; Peptide Hydrolases; Peptides; Pseudomonas; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Staphylococcal Infections; Staphylococcus aureus
  20. Fulltext Changes in 3-MCPD esters, glycidyl esters, bioactive compounds and oxidation indexes during kenaf seed oil refining
    Chew SC, Tan CP, Lai OM, Nyam KL
    Food Sci Biotechnol, 2018 Jun;27(3):905-914.
    PMID: 30263818 DOI: 10.1007/s10068-017-0295-8
    An optimized refining process for kenaf seed oil was conducted. The 3-monochloro-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPD) contents, triacylglycerol composition, fatty acids composition, bioactive compounds, phosphorus contents, and oxidation indexes of the kenaf seed oil during each stage of the refining process were determined. The results showed that there was no detected 3-MCPD ester in kenaf seed oil throughout the refining process. Deodorization had slightly increased the 2-MCPD ester (9.0 μg/kg) and glycidyl ester (54.8 μg/kg). Oleic (36.53%) and linoleic acids (36.52%) were presented in the largest amount in the refined kenaf seed oil, and triacylglycerols contributed to 99.96% in the oil. There was a removal of 31.6% of phytosterol content and 17.1% of tocopherol and tocotrienol contents in kenaf seed oil after refining. The refining process was totally removed the hydroperoxides, 93% of free fatty acids and 98.8% of phosphorus content in kenaf seed oil.
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